STATISTICAL REPORT

Report Writing
What is a report?
• A written document that gives an account of the findings of an individual or a
group.
• Documentation of something that has already occurred.

What is a statistical report?

• A report that conveys information based on numerical data. Figures are analyzed
by identifying trends (patterns) and significant figures (figure that stands out the
most).
Statistical Data may be presented as:
Sales
• Bar graphs
• Pie charts
• Tables
1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr
More Sales
• Line graphs 30
25

• Histograms 20
15
10
5
0
1 7 13 19 25 31 37 43 49 55 61 67 73
• Before attempting to write a report based on statistics,
you must be able to interpret the information conveyed
in the chart or graph.

• The reader must deduce important trends which will

lead to meaningful interpretation of statistics.
Trends Significant figures
• Separate pieces of information which
• A general pattern or direction or
tendency e.g. increase, decrease, stand out or are different from the overall
consistency pattern or trend
• They can be the highest or the lowest
• No pattern is referred to as fluctuation
figures

• Examine each item for increase,

decrease or consistency.
• Describe these patterns precisely with
adjectives or degree adverbs e.g.
minimal increase, steady increase,
significantly increased
• Take note of fluctuations
• Pay attention to significant trends
Tips for interpreting tables & graphs
• Note the title, headings, categories, time periods…
• Look at the largest and smallest figures
• Note increases and decreases
• Look for consistent patterns
• Look for fluctuations
Double-click center of slide for .PDF exercise
Banjo proved to be the most popular chocolate bar in the year 2001, selling a total of 206,000
bars. Banjo’s sales figures began the year higher than those of Razzle, Gremlin and Yahoo at
66,000 bars sold in the first quarter. However, by the end of the year Banjo was selling less than
at the start at only 50,000 in the last quarter.

Gremlin and Yahoo bars followed the same sales trend, throughout the year, although more
Yahoo bars were eaten overall. Yahoo and Gremlin’s worst quarter was the second, when they
sold only 16,000 and 12,000 respectively. Sales of Gremlin bars dramatically increased in the
third quarter, with sales doubling from 15,000 to over 30,ooo. Gremlin sales continued to rise
slowly and finished the year at 35,000 bars sold in the last quarter.

Razzle grew in popularity for the first three quarters of the year, but sales plunged dramatically
in the last quarter to an all time low of 11,000 bars.

Razzle sales were consistently the lowest, except in the second quarter when they outsold
Gremlin by 3,000 sales, whereas Banjo remained the best-selling bar.
Tips for interpreting tables & graphs
• Note the title, headings, categories, time periods…
• Look at the largest and smallest figures
• Note increases and decreases
• Look for consistent patterns
• Look for fluctuations
 Number of tourists arriving in your
country from 1978-1982

Year Barbados England Canada Total

1978 120 600 300 1,020
1979 160 750 210 1,120
1980 110 400 350 860
1981 250 825 200 1,275
1982 300 900 600 1,800
Observations
• The period reflected in the table is five years
• Tourists came from three countries: Barbados, England, Canada
• Highest number came from England, then Canada, then Barbados
• Barbados and England has a similar pattern
• Number of tourists from Canada fluctuated over the period
• Both Barbados and England recorded their lowest number in 1980
• Highest number of tourists entering was recorded in 1982
• Lowest recorded was in 1980
• Pattern in totals
• Highest number in any year was in 1982 from England , three times the number
coming from Barbados